MENDOKUSAI

OUR PRODUCTIONS ARE SPONSORED IN PART BY THE FOLLOWING:

Kumu Kahua productions are supported in part by the NME Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, the Island Insurance Foundation, The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaiʻi, The AAPI Community Fund, The Richard Aadland Fund, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Spectrum/Charter Communications, ABC Stores, the Gloria Kosasa Gainsley Fund, Hawaiˇi Public Radio, H. Hawaii Media, Simply Storage, The Kim Coco Fund for Justice of the Iwamoto Family Foundation, Vacations Hawaiʻi, Zippy’s Restaurants, Highway Inn, Generations Magazine, CVS/Longs Drugs, HMSA, Hawaiian Electric, Monkey Pod, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Edric Sakamoto, Ron and Rachel Heller, Leonard and Charlotte Chow, and other foundations, businesses, and loyal patrons.

eric stack,
PLAYWRIGHT

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Eric Stack is a playwright from Keaʻau, Hawaiʻi. He writes plays about his home, Hawaiʻi with a particular focus on the island of Molokaʻi. He is the author of Mū, Vitae, Brought to Bear, and Kūpeʻe (winner of 2019 Kumu Kahua Playwriting Contest). He has also written the book and lyrics for the Hawaiian operas, Hāʻupu, Kū I Ka Mana, and The Battle of Kuamoʻo. His monologue, Hae Upside-Down was produced for The Reset Theatre Coalition Series during the summer of 2020. He is a teacher at Kamehameha High School in Keaʻau. Read more at www.hppragman.com.

PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTES

Who am I? If this once I were to rely on a proverb, then perhaps everything would amount to knowing whom I “haunt.” ‒ André Breton, Nadja

Haunting, healing, and hope is the world the characters of Mendokusai inhabit. Why then the title, Mendokusai, which roughly translated means: pain in the ass? For about two years, I wondered what mendokusai meant because my wife would say it in conversations with her friends and then look over at me. For a while I believed it was my Japanese name, much as immigrants here, are given Hawaiian names. Then I found out what it meant. I translated it as meaning, ‘she loves me so much she will sacrifice anything and everything for me.’ Thus, the world of Mendokusai, where true love is sacrifice for those shadows that represent the truth to you.

Mahalo nui to the cast, crew, and production team who helped this play come to life. I have been sending plays to Kumu Kahua since 1992 and this is a dream come true.

Mahalo to Justina and the crew of Keakakanilua who gave Mendokusai its initial voice. Special arigato to Kyoko and my stepson Eishi, my true inspirations for this story.

JUSTINA MATTOS,
DIRECTOR

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Justina Mattos is the Chair of the Performing Arts Department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She has been affiliated with Kumu Kahua Theatre since the 1980s, when she performed in the statewide tour of Twelf Nite O Wateva! Years later, under the mentorship of Kumu Kahua’s founder, Dennis Carroll, she wrote her PhD dissertation on the development of Hawaiʻi’s local theatre tradition, focusing in depth on Kumu Kahua and the playwrights who emerged from this original stage. Today, her interest in local theatre continues. She frequently directs local plays on Hawai‘i Island, she is one of the co-founders of Hilo’s KEAKA Hawaiian Language Theatre Festival, and she facilitates an online playreading group, Keakalehua, where playwrights are able to hear their work read aloud and receive feedback from a supportive group of theatre practitioners.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES

“Mendokusai” is a phrase used when referring to something that is bothersome or troublesome; something you don’t really want to do. When we have an obligation to take care of something or someone, there may be things we need to do that feel “mendokusai.” In Pidgin (HCE), I like to think of it as humbug. When Risa uses this term with Kūkunu, in essence she is saying, “Ho, you so humbug.” But in this play, beneath the bother and the obligation there is a deep sense of love. Mendokusai is a play about love. How we give it; how we’re willing to receive it; and what one may be willing to sacrifice for it. Preparing and serving food, sharing of language and culture, these things are done through love. Although the TMT conflict and the larger struggle for self determination permeate the action of this play, the deeper underlying current is the love that pushes and pulls these characters toward their inevitable fate.

Denise-Aiko Chinen performed in Lucky Come Hawaii at KKT in our last season. Last season’s credits include Death of a Salesman (Evolve),  The God Committee (TAG), The Taming of the Shrew (HSF), Keep it Brief (UHM Late Night), Hawaiʻi Nō Ka ʻOi, A Sakamoto Celebration (UHM Lab), Oriental Faddah and Son (WCC), Joy Luck Club (MVT) and Kimberly Akimbo (TAG). Some of her credits at KKT include: Joker, Sound and Beauty, Hostage Wife, Ala Wai, Teacher Teacher, Tea, 12-1-A, Mānoa Valley and Koi, Like the Fish. She has also performed with DHT, HPU, KOA, and Ohia.

Deenie Tagudin Kam is making her KKT debut. She's been onstage, backstage, and most points in between during productions in Hilo (UHH) and Honolulu (ACT, TAG). Acting credits range from Oʻo Hawaiʻi (UHH) to Banyan (UHH). Credits also include Getting Somewheres, part of a living history project presented by the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities which toured Statewide. She was nominated for an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Award for Mary Magdalene when UHH's Jesus Christ Superstar was selected for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF8).

Jodi Graham has a BLS in Tech Theatre and Performing Arts from UH Hilo. Her credits as an actor include Once Upon One Time (KMC Theater), Another Heaven (UH Hilo Performing Arts Center), You Somebody (KMC Theater) and Stew Rice (UH Hilo Performing Arts Center).

Justin Kuwamura is returning to the stage as an actor after a 25 year hiatus. His credits include Edward Sakamoto’s Our Hearts Were Touched with Fire (NBC/UHM), Twelf Nite o Wateva (KKT), World War nIIhau (KKT) and Hawaii No Ka Oi (KKT)

Kekoa Graham has been in many productions including 10 for the Hilo Community Players annual Shakespeare in the Park, notably One Uddah Midsummer adopted and directed by Jackie Pualani Johnson, and numerous local productions include Stew Rice (written by Edward Sakamoto), Once upon one Time (written by Lisa Matsumoto), Aloha Friday (written by Lee Cataluna) and the premiere of Another Heaven (written by Eric Anderson). You can occasionally also catch Kekoa’s face in locally produced movies and television shows, although he much prefers working behind the cameras now.

Kevin Joshua Molina holds an AA with a concentration in theatre from Windward Community College. His performing credits include Alika in Wonderland, Walter/Woyzeck, Demigods Anonymous and iHula. While a student he received the WCC Exemplary Performance Award.

Malia Aiello was born and raised in ʻAiea and graduated from Kamehameha Kapālama. Her recent credits include Snow White in Once Upon One Noddah Time (MVT), Brooke in Be More Chill (MVT) and Kiana in Untitled TMT Project (KKT).

Sharon Garcia Doyle is a local theater artist having served both on and offstage in many capacities including management, design, and performance. She has designed costumes at MVT, HTY, and KKT.  She has performed at HTY, HSF, Kennedy Theater, KKT, MVT, and PBH. Sharon has trained as a Lao Dan in Jingju with Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak and China National Actors of the First Rank Master Lu Genzhang and Master Zhang Ling. Additionally, she's trained with David Smukler, Judith Koltai, and Gary Logan at the Canada National Voice Intensive. She has served on several productions as voice, accent, and acting coach and holds an MFA in Theater from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Thomas Chock makes his Hawaii stage acting debut with Mendokusai. Thomas holds a BA in Media Arts Studies from BYU-Provo. His credits include VO as “mynah bird” for Central Pacific Bank spot, the King in The King and I, and Agwe in Once on this Island (both Lehi City Arts Council).

Hoku Gilbert (Assistant Director) has previously worked as an assistant director on productions for MVT and KOA Theatre. She has also been on the stages of MVT, KOA, TAG and KKT as an actor, as well as "blink-and-you'll-miss-me" parts in Hawaii 5-0 (the reboot), Magnum PI (the reboot) and Doogie Kamealoha MD (kind of a reboot). When not goofing around in the theatre, Hoku works as a Special Agent under the Department of Defense. 

Kuʻuhiapo Jeong (Choreographer) is a Master’s Candidate in the Biola University Public Relations & Reputation Management graduate program. Theatrical stage credits include Biloxi Blues (Eugene M. Jerome); The title role of Aladdin; Once On This Island (Daniel Beauxhomme); Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere); Hāʻupu (Kana); Kū I Ka Mana (Kapihe); Tale of a Tail: Moʻo Huelo (Kama); For Such A Time As This (Teresh); Scary Scenarios - Come Home (Ethan); Ka ʻIu O Hōkū (Leleiohoku silhouette). He was part of the 2016 international touring cast of the Hawaiian opera Hāʻupu at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, receiving special recognitions from the American High School Theatre Festival and NPR's From The Top. For 17 years he trained under the late Kumu Hula Uncle Johnny Lum Ho and now teaches as the kāne hula instructor at Hālau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu. 

Brian Lee Sackett (Set and Lighting Design) has been involved in Hawaiʻi theatre for 20-plus years. He has worked in every facet of theatre, other than playwriting, which he is quick to admit is beyond his skill set.

Kekoa Graham (Sound Design & Costume Designer) See bio under About the Cast.

Michael Harada (Properties Design) 

THEATRE ABBREVIATIONS

Army Community Theatre: ACT
The ARTS at Marks Garage: AMG
All the World's a Stage: ATWAS
Central Theatre Arts Academy: CTAA
Diamond Head Theatre: DHT
EVOLVE Theatre Company: ETC
Hawaiian Mission Houses: HMH
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre: HOT
Hawai‘i Pacific University: HPU
Hawai‘i Shakespeare Festival: HSF
Honolulu Theatre for Youth: HTY
Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre: IONA
Kaimukī High School: KHS
Kumu Kahua Theatre: KKT
KOA Theater: KOA
Kīpuka Theatre: KT
Leeward Theatre: LCC
Mid-Pacific Institute: MPI
Mānoa Valley Theatre: MVT
‘Ohana Arts: OA
Open Home Performance Network: OHPN
‘Ōhi‘a Productions: OP
On the Spot: OTS
Performing Arts Center of Kapolei: PACK
PlayBuilders of Hawai‘i: PBH
Palikū Theatre: PTW
The Actors’ Group: TAG
University of Hawai‘i Mānoa: UHM
Windward Community College (Palikū): WCC

KUMU KAHUA THEATRE
2022-2023

Managing Director: Donna Blanchard
Artistic Director: Harry Wong III
Office Manager: Sara Ward
Box Office Associates: Alyson Wong, Kathy Dombrigues & Victoria Amara

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Marcus Oshiro
Vice President: Dann Seki
Treasurer: Adam Huttler
Recording Secretary: Denise-Aiko Chinen
Mark Kalahele
Jason Kanda
Karen Kaulana
Brook Lee
Annie Macapagal
Kathy Dombrigues Max 
Tony Pisculli
John H. Y. Wat
Victoria Wei